Shark Safe Events

• "Together we can make a difference for our planet."
  
  "As Director of Sustainable Practices at Shedd Aquarium, I am disappointed that for the second year in a row, shark is being served at Taste of Chicago. Avoiding shark meat and shark fin soup is one way we can help save shark populations worldwide, but we have much more work to do if these animals are still appearing on local plates. Shedd Aquarium's Right Bite sustainable seafood program builds awareness about the environmental issues surrounding seafood, including sharks. Visit our website (www.sheddaquarium.org/rightbite) and use it as a quick reference when dining out and grocery shopping.
  
  Together we can make a difference for our planet."
  
  - Michelle Jost, Chicago
  
  Director of Sustainable Practices, John G. Shedd Aquarium
  
  
  
  Shark Veracruz featured at the Taste of Chicago uses Threatened Thresher Shark
  
  
  
  
  Thresher Shark Photo courtesy of Jim Abernethy
  
  
  Issues:
  
  There are a number of community festivals and private events that include and /or promote unsustainable shark products or wasteful and unsustainable practices that are damaging to sharks. Examples of such events are:
  
  1. A food festival that features shark menu items
  2. A festival, party, wedding or meeting that serves shark fin soup
  3. A festival that includes a kill shark fishing tournament
  4. A party that includes fishing for and killing sharks (for example, a bachelor party booked with shark fishing charter)
  
  On the other hand there are some positive events that celebrate sharks and promote their conservation - and there should be a lot more! Shark celebration events can educate the general public about sharks in a positive way - no killing required!
  
  Goals:
  
  1. Organize and participate in events that celebrate sharks in communities everywhere.
  
  2. Educate organizers and participants about the importance of shark conservation and appeal to them to make changes to the event:
  
  

  	Food Festival -- Remove the item from the event's menu / substitute another seafood item for the shark in the disk. Persuade the organizers, sponsors to stop promoting the item
  	Event serving Shark Fin Soup - Remove shark fin soup from the menu / substitute vegetarian shark fin or fish soup with goji berries
  	Change the shark fishing tournament to catch and release or to another type of fish
  	Convince the party organizer to find a different activity / venue

  
  
  Action Plan:
  
  Materials:
  
  Additional Information and Resources:
  
  Current Events Campaigns
  
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